Nikol Astakhova

You don’t realize how much a moment means until you’re standing on the mat, heart racing, knowing everything you’ve worked for comes down to this. Our day started bright and early at Elite Athletics at 8:00 AM . Even though it was early, the energy in the gym was already there. We warmed up together, practiced for two hours, and went through every detail of our routine—counts, timing, formations—making sure we felt confident and ready. After practice, we headed to the competition venue, and...

There’s something special about the energy of a final practice before a big competition: anticipation, nerves, pride, and most of all, teamwork. This week, our team gathered for our last practice before States, and it might have been one of our most memorable sessions yet. We kicked off the afternoon with a full warm-up together, moving as one big team before splitting into our levels. Each group headed to its apparatus and began running routines. We polished details, built confidence, and...

Today, the Broward County Special Olympics gymnastics season officially began, and the moment I walked into the gym, I felt the buzz....